Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-04-01
Rome. Georgia.
lCorrespondencc of the Alexandria {

Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazct,e)
RosgE Ga, March 29.-Perhaps your read
ers may De interested about q town in the
new South Business called me here for 8
few days, and just before ny arrival q
''boomn struck the town. See Rome and
die, }" is changed to See Rome and buy cor.
ner lot" "When in Rome you must do as
! Romans do" and consequently every man
here either buys, sells or talks real estate
a brief description of the town will give
you an idea of the cause of this boom. Rome
! is the most important city of north Georgia
and is the shire town of Floyd county. In
1880 its population was 6 900 Now il nun.
hers at least Il 600, and is rapidly increas-
! ing. 1t lies at the head Of navigation OF the
Coosa river, at the junction of the Etowah
and CortaDula rivers. About 215 miles below
| Rome this river is obstructed by shoals, and
when the U. S. Government shall have
raised this obstruction, Rome will have 750
miles OF river navigation extending to the
Gulf Of Mexico. The main portion of the
town lies between the Etowsh aud Corta-
| nula, but es It's population increased,
bridges spanned the rivers and hourshing
suburbs sprang up, populated mostly by
men doing business in Rome proper. Rome
is city of hills and schools. The Baptists
and the PresOyterians have lcurishing fe.
male schools here, while the public schools
are second 10 none in the South. About
200 pupils are registered, which is about
| eleven per cent Of the population. This
speaks volumes for the intelligence of the
people, and will do much towards making
! immigration flow this way. And besides the
people are genial and enterprising. A
stranger is welcomed with true and genuine
Southern hospitality and made to feel at
| home.
The wholesale and retail stores do an i'm
mense business, this being prominent dis
tributing point for large territory. quote
statistics to show Rome's present CONNER
cial importance. Last year 81 ,2S1 ,302 worth
of goods were manufactured here, giving
employ ment to about 500 persons. In 1886
the wholesale trade amounted TO 100000,
and the retail trade to 100000. Over
| 100 600 bales of cotton were brought to this
market, about So, 900 being compressed and
shipped to the New England mills. Five
railroads centre here, and two additional
ones are being rapidly constructed. Rome
will then be in direct communication with
the Black Warrior coal fields OF Alabama,
vhile these increased railroad facilities will
enable her products to be shipped to the
four points of the compass.
Now for the boom. 1t is here, and excite
ment really makes Rome howl" Real
estate agents are rs thick as backberries;
lots are changing bands with handsome
profits, land company stocks are rapidly
advancing, corner lots, options, predictions.
| oilers for and refusals to sell real estate
greet you on every hand With each train
new men are arriving, aud the market is
brisk.
Here are few instances of the wonder.
iGl sales. a gentleman from Virginia pur.
chased five shares CT the land stock, and in
less than one hour he sold three at hand
some advances. BE never paid any money
on them, nor did he ever sec them. He
made his profit, however. One house
eud lot purchased for $4,000 advanced
forty per cent. in one week. An
otber lot valued at $1,000 advanced 10
81. 800 while the gentleman was deciding to
purchase. And hundreds OF circumstances
might be mentioned when almosI unheard
of advances have been realized. Frequent
lv lots are sold two or three times before q
deed can be made out. The street car line
| has been purchased by the Improvement
company, and in few weeks every section
street cars When that is done suburban
property will rapidly advance.
The prime cause in bringing Rome to the
front was tho organization of the Rome
Land, Iron and Improvement Company,
which is principally composed of tho solid
business men of Rome. They have associ
ated with them, however, capitalists from
| New York and other money centres. This
company, recognizing the great natural ed
vantages of Rome. secured by purchase and
option several thousand acres of land near
town and about $4,000 acres of mineral lands
near the railroads. They organized on the
ID of March, 1887, and Immediately applied
for charter Thus far the company has
not disposed of any Gifts land. 1t has, how
ever, been very liberal in advertising the
town and its advantages, and in offering in
ducements to manufacturers TO locate here.
their efforts have been crowned with success,
and the few shares of stock in the market
sold to- day at 230, although only one assess
ment of 10 per cent. has been paid. To this
company Rome owes mucn for her present
prosperity.
1t must be remembered that this is not
building a town on paper, nor out IN the
country, nor even in the mind of an active
real estate agent. The nucleus of large
manufacturing town is here, and the coal,
iron and raw materials are at hand ready to
welcome that enterprise and capital seeking
to develop the hidden wealth of the "New
Southn
Soon the stove works, iron foundries, cot.
ton, ice and fertilizer factories, cotton seed
oil and flour mills, cotton congresses and
other industries already established will be
greeted by the busy hum of new and kindred
enterprises. In few days ground will be